Alonzo Mourning's Prostate Cancer Advocacy
- Basketball legend Alonzo Mourning, 55, beat advanced stage prostate cancer after under going surgery last year. Now, he’s working to spread awareness for the disease which affects 1 in 8 men over their lifetime in the U.S.
- Mourning is sharing his story with SurvivorNet as part of the new 12-film series “Men Beating The Odds,” hosted by NFL Legend Emmitt Smith, in honor of Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. In a story about his perseverance in “The Heart of Zo,” he encourages men to get checked for the disease.
- Prostate cancer screening guidelines call for Black men to begin screening earlier than others, around age 40, because they have an increased risk of the disease.
- SurvivorNet experts support standard screening methods such as a digital rectal exam and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test. This test measures the level of PSA in the blood, and higher levels can indicate cancer.
The 55-year-old former NBA player, who beat advanced stage prostate cancer after undergoing surgery in March 2024, is using his cancer journey, from diagnosis to recovery, to offer inspiration for men everywhere to be proactive about their health and wellbeing.
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Referring to how he’s been known as “someone who takes good care of himself,” the dad of two says, “Me being this big, strong athlete that was an all-star and a gold medalist and having to go through this was humbling. It was extremely humbling.
“I had to learn just as much as the doctors did, which made me even more confident in what I was dealing with,” he adds.
Mourning has previously said he felt “deflated” when he was diagnosed, even as doctors informed him his diagnosis was “something you can’t control.” The former athlete saw both his father and grandfather battle prostate cancer. His family history put him at a 50% higher risk of getting the same disease.
WATCH: Screen Early If Prostate Cancer Runs In Your Family
He continued, “I know that I’ve gone through this and I’ve tried to find, you know, the positive in every adversity that I’ve gone through.
“It’s taken me some time to figure out how can I turn this negative situation into something positive.”
Prostate Cancer: Prevention & Screening
By sharing his story, Mourning hopes that he can help other men take better care of their health by “being an inspiration to them so they can get themselves checked.”
Looking back on when he first learned what a urologist was, while talking amongst a group of men about five years ago, he continued, “If it wasn’t for men talking about their health and me being a part of that conversation, I probably wouldn’t be here sitting, talking to you right now.”
In an effort to push others to be proactive with their health, he expressed how important it is for him to help “change the narrative” and encourage others to see a doctor and get routine checkups.
Mourning explained further, “Men, you know, and I speak to you directly, there are people that rely on your existence.
“So, you being an active participant in your own health can eliminate the devastation and the detrimental effects that you can have on your family members, your kids’ lives, and what have you.”
Expert Prostate Cancer Resources
He added, “I’m extremely grateful and thankful just for that conversation that me and the rest of those gentlemen had. I got a foundation that I run. We’re going to save a lot of families. We’ll save a lot of lives. And we’ll change these statistics. The estimated number of men that will be diagnosed with prostate cancer this year could fill up about 15 arenas. That’s close to 300,000 men.
“I know that it’s going to take some time for me to heal, but I’m very fortunate and blessed. There’s a purpose behind this. I had to go through that in order to deliver this message to you all, to help you all understand that you have it in you to overcome and succeed,” Mourning adds.
Understanding Prostate Cancer Risk
If a close family member — like your father or brother — has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, your chances of developing the disease nearly double. Men with a family history often face a higher risk at a younger age than those without one.
Black men also have a higher risk of developing the disease.
“Prostate cancer affects men of all walks of life, but it affects them differently,” Dr. Edwin Posadas, Medical Director of the Urologic Oncology Program at Cedars-Sinai, told SurvivorNet in an earlier interview. “It’s important to note that the incidence of prostate cancer in African-American men is 60% higher, and they are two to three times more likely to die from the disease.”
Prostate cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer among men. It begins in the prostate — a small, walnut-sized gland located between the bladder and rectum — that helps produce the fluid in semen. The good news is that routine screenings often detect prostate cancer early, when it’s most treatable.
When you go in for screening, your doctor may perform a few key tests.
- One common test is the PSA (prostate-specific antigen) blood test, which measures the level of PSA protein in your bloodstream. While higher-than-normal PSA levels can be a sign of prostate cancer, they can also result from other conditions, such as an enlarged prostate, infection, or inflammation.
- Your doctor might also perform a digital rectal exam (DRE), where they check the prostate for any unusual lumps or changes in texture.
If anything abnormal is found, further tests — such as imaging scans or a biopsy — may be recommended to get a clearer diagnosis.
According to the American Cancer Society, men at average risk should consider starting prostate cancer screenings at age 50. Those at higher risk — such as men with a strong family history — may need to begin screening earlier, around age 40. In some cases, men with an immediate relative diagnosed at a young age might consider annual screenings starting in their 30s.
Generally, most healthcare professionals agree that routine screening is not necessary for men over 70.
SurvivorNet experts suggested that men consider factors like their family history, genes, and age when deciding whether and when to screen.
Symptoms of prostate cancer may include:
- Urinating more often
- Waking up in the middle of the night to pee
- Blood in your urine
- Trouble getting an erection
- Pain or burning when you urinate
- Pain in your back, hips, thighs, or other bones
- Unexplained weight loss
- Fatigue
Even if you are not due for screening, if you develop any of these symptoms, it is worth it to bring the concerns to a doctor.
Content independently created by SurvivorNet with support from Novartis Pharmaceutical Corp
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